Since the very beginning, the DC Universe has made a name for its brilliant treatment of legacy characters, with the likes of The Flash and Green Lantern’s rebooted heroes ushering in the Silver Age. Since then, it’s become a normal occurrence to see iconic costumes and hero identities passed down to new generations in the aftermath of epic events and prominent deaths.
Contrary to expectations, many superhero mantles and identites have shared between numerous people at any given time. While some characters step in to fill the void left by a death, others have seized a vacant role for themselves. The response from readers to new characters taking up classic names can be mixed, but that only makes it more important to understand why these DC superheroes needed to be replaced, and who took up the title.
10 The Question
Vic Sage Passed the Torch to Renee Montoya
The Question was created by Steve Ditko to follow in the footsteps of classic Golden Age detectives, such as Mr A and The Spirit. Imbued with the creator’s Objectivist philosophy, the vigilante fought crime, corruption and abuse on the streets of Hub City, one of the DCU’s most corrupt areas. After headlining one of the best series of the 1980s, the character was diagnosed with lung cancer in the early 2000s, and he soon looked to GCPD detective Renee Montoya to continue his legacy.
While Vic Sage has returned to the role of Question for some stories, Renee Montoya has retained the mantle as far as regular continuity goes. Unlike her mentor, the detective primarily operates in Gotham City, often seeking out justice when the system fails to do so.
9 Robin
Batman Found A New Partner In Tim Drake
During the early 1980s, Dick Grayson left Wayne Manor for the Teen Titans, where he forged his own identity as Nightwing, finding independence from his adoptive father. Now left without a sidekick, Batman took Tim Drake under his wing, who brought a fresh enthusiasm to the role as Red Robin. Known for his intelligence, the character stands out as one of the more optimistic members of the Bat-family.
Tim Drake’s tenure as Robin has remained a favorite among readers, who look back on ’80s Batman comics as the best period for the character. He has since retained the Red Robin identity, the only ex-Robin to do so, rather than carving out a wholly original name for himself.
8 The Atom
Ryan Choi Stepped Up After Ray Palmer Retired
The Atom is among the oldest mantles in DC Comics, and has been taken up by a variety of heroes, originally being the alias of Al Pratt who, along with other Golden Age heroes, was moved to Earth-2. For the bulk of the Silver Age, however, the mantle was taken up and perfected by Ray Palmer, a physicist who invented a shrinking belt, allowing him to explore the subatomic universe. After almost forty years of being active, Palmer retired from the mantle in the 2000s, leaving his colleague, Ryan Choi, to take over.
Ryan Choi was the regular Atom throughout the late 2000s and 2010s, heading out on a series of sci-fi adventures across America. Where Palmer was typically a cool and measured explorer, Choi was written to be somewhat more relatable to readers, exploring the Microverse for the first time and learning with the reader.
7 Doctor Fate
Nabu’s Influence Proved Too Much For Kent Nelson
Doctor Fate was among the first DC superheroes, and was a founding member of the Justice Society of America in 1941. The mantle is most associated with Kent Nelson, an archaeologist who found the Helmet of Nabu, a magical artifact that imbued the wearer with mastery of magic. However, as Nelson continued using it, Nabu’s influence over the man began to grow, giving him pause on continuing his superhero activities.
During the DCYou initiative, a new character, Khalid Nassour, took over the Fate mantle, being reimagined as a med student who found the helmet and became a hero. In the 2018 Justice League Dark series, a more firm explanation of the passing mantle was established when Nabu overwhelmed Nelson, bringing his fellow Lords of Order to attack the JLD. After the lords were defeated, Nelson finally retired and Nassour took over.
6 Shazam
Freddy Freeman Proved Himself A Great Champion
In the aftermath of Infinite Crisis, the Wizard Shazam was killed, leaving the Rock of Eternity unguarded. In response, Billy Batson filled in as its protector, though that left the world without a Captain Marvel. Freddy Freeman was then chosen as the new Champion, sending him on a quest to prove himself worthy of the gods in Trials of Shazam.
Freddy Freeman may not be the fan favorite Shazam, but seeing him carry the mantle for some brilliant stories like Cry For Justice. Of course, Batson did soon return to the role, and the New 52 gave him a full reboot, returning to the expanded Marvel Family.
5 The Flash
During Crisis On Infinite Earths (Marv Wolfman and George Perez), heroes from across the multiverse faced the threat of extinction from the cosmic killer the Anti-Monitor. During their battle against the creature and super villain Pariah, Barry Allen was killed after thirty years as the Flash. As DC entered a new, simplified era, Wally West took up the mantle, and became the mainstay Speedster until 2009.
Wally West became a comic book icon for Gen X and Millennial readers, especially thanks to his role as the Flash in the Justice League cartoon. In comics, he ushered in the Modern Age in the best way possible, with his personality reflecting a lighthearted, more immature and relatable personality for new readers.
4 Green Lantern
Kyle Rayner Joined the Corps During Its Darkest Hour
During the “Return of Superman” arc, Cyborg Superman and Mongul teamed up to conquer Earth, beginning with the destruction of Coast City — Hal Jordan’s home. Overwhelmed by grief, the superhero attempted to resurrect the dead with his power ring, prompting a swift condemnation from the Guardians of the Universe. As they sent more Lanterns to bring him in, he murdered them, taking their rings and setting off for Oa to steal their power.
Following Hal Jordan’s turn to evil as the villain Parallax, a power ring was sent to Kyle Rayner, who took over as the mainstay Lantern until 2004’s Green Lantern: Rebirth. Rayner, alongside Wally West, brought a new youthful energy to both the ’90s and the Justice League, where he applied his skills as an artist to develop some of the most creative power ring constructs.
3 Superman
The Death of Superman Launched The Reign of The Supermen
Arguably the most famous and epic event of the 1990s, “The Death of Superman” follows the arrival of the Kryptonian monster known as Doomsday to Earth. Tearing his way through America, the villain confronts Kal-El on the streets of Metropolis, culminating in both characters dying in the thick of battle. In the aftermath of this event, a number of “Supermen” showed up, each one looking to fill in for the city’s guardian.
“Reign of the Supermen” introduced these Men of Steel to the fold, each of whom played a key role in the return of Kal-El. The best of these new heroes was John Henry Irons, who adopted the name Steel to honor Superman for saving him. Irons, unlike the other characters, never pretended to be the new Man of Tomorrow. Instead, he was just an ordinary citizen stepping up to do what he felt was his duty.
2 Wonder Woman
Artemis Was the ’90s Wonder Woman
As one of the first female superheroes, Wonder Woman has one of the best histories in DC. Based on Greek mythology, the Amazon warrior princess of Paradise Island left her picturesque home for man’s world during the First World War, later joining the Justice Society and, later, co-founding the League. During the 1990s, however, her mother, Hippolyta, had a vision of her daughter perishing in battle, and demanded a new warrior take her place. That honor fell to Artemis.
Artemis’ tenure as Wonder Woman led the character in an interesting new direction, taking on a more violent, street-level style perfect for the ’90s. Interestingly, Hippolyta herself took over as Wonder Woman during Brian Michael Bendis’ Justice League run following the events of Dark Nights Death Metal (Scott Snyder & Greg Capullo).
1 Batman
Jean-Paul Valley Filled In for a Disabled Bruce Wayne
During the 1990s, Batman met Jean-Paul Valley, a brainwashed knight who served the Order of Saint Dumas, an extremist organization. After defeating them and breaking free, Valley was taken in by Bruce Wayne, though he soon started to experience the effects of his brainwashing, dubbed “the System.” When Bane released the Arkham Asylum prisoners during “Knightfall,” Batman rounded them up, leaving Valley alone with his thoughts. When Banen broke Bruce Wayne’s back, he turned to his new friend to take up his mantle until he could recover.
Jean-Paul Valley’s time as Batman quickly became mired in controversy in Gotham as his increasingly violent methods left ordinary citizens fearful of him. When Bruce did eventually recover, he had to fight Valley to regain his own mantle, signaling his return to strength. Since then, the former knight has fought for redemption, though he still often falls short of Batman’s example.
